F-35 Decision Could Reshape U.S.-Türkiye Ties as NATO Meets in Ankara

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - President Donald Trump is expected to tell President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during their meeting at this week's NATO summit in Ankara that he is prepared to restore Türkiye's participation in the F-35 stealth fighter program, according to reporting by Tyler Pager and David E. Sanger of The New York Times.

If pursued, the move would represent a significant reversal of a policy introduced during Trump's first administration, when Washington removed Türkiye from the multinational fighter program after Ankara acquired Russia's S-400 air defense system.

According to the newspaper, administration officials have spent weeks examining possible pathways to revive the arrangement while navigating U.S. legal requirements and anticipated congressional scrutiny.

Officials also cautioned that the president's plans could still change and that no final decision has been formally announced.

The timing extends the issue well beyond a bilateral dispute. As NATO leaders gather in Ankara, the alliance is attempting to demonstrate that increased European defense spending is translating into tangible military capability.

According to reporting by Lorne Cook, Suzan Fraser and Abby Sewell of The Associated Press, NATO unveiled new multinational procurement initiatives and defense industry projects intended to show Washington that allies are strengthening collective capabilities.

Separately, Max Delany of Agence France-Presse reported that the alliance also highlighted billions of dollars in new defense contracts as European governments sought to demonstrate greater responsibility for their own security while maintaining U.S. engagement.

Within that broader setting, any movement on the F-35 issue carries implications not only for U.S.-Türkiye relations but also for alliance cohesion, defense industrial cooperation and NATO's evolving strategic posture.

According to The New York Times, Trump is expected to raise the issue directly during his meeting with Erdoğan after previously suggesting he intended to bring the Turkish leader a development that would make him "very happy."

Administration officials told the newspaper that one possibility under discussion is an initial exchange of letters between the two presidents to begin a formal process toward restoring Türkiye's access to the aircraft, although the timing and exact mechanism remain uncertain.

Türkiye's exclusion from the F-35 program in 2019 stemmed from Washington's concerns that operating the advanced U.S. fighter alongside Russia's S-400 missile defense system could expose sensitive information about the aircraft's stealth characteristics and operational capabilities.

The decision ended Türkiye's participation in a program in which it had been both a customer and an industrial partner.

According to The New York Times, officials are now exploring ways to address the legal conditions imposed after Türkiye's removal.

One option reportedly under discussion would involve transferring the S-400 systems to a third party, while another possibility would render the systems unusable by removing critical components.

Officials familiar with the discussions, however, indicated that no single approach has yet been finalized.

Even if the administration decides to proceed, significant political hurdles remain.

Congress enacted legislation in 2020 that restricts the transfer of F-35 aircraft unless the executive branch certifies that Türkiye no longer possesses the Russian missile systems.

According to The New York Times, some lawmakers continue to oppose restoring the aircraft sale, meaning any policy shift could face resistance on Capitol Hill even if the White House seeks to move forward.

The prospective announcement also unfolds against a wider debate over NATO's future.

According to The Associated Press, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte used a defense industry forum ahead of the summit to emphasize that allies must convert higher defense budgets into operational capabilities.

New announcements included multinational efforts involving surveillance aircraft, aerial refueling platforms and unmanned systems designed to strengthen the alliance's collective defense architecture.

AFP similarly reported that NATO leaders sought to demonstrate what Rutte described as a broader transformation in European defense, arguing that allies are assuming greater responsibility as Washington increasingly expects Europe to shoulder more of the burden for the continent's conventional security.

The alliance has framed those efforts as part of building a stronger European pillar within NATO while preserving transatlantic unity.

Ukraine also remains central to summit discussions. According to AFP, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to meet Trump while European governments reaffirm military assistance commitments to Kyiv amid Russia's continuing invasion.

The summit therefore brings together debates over burden-sharing, defense industrial capacity and support for Ukraine alongside sensitive bilateral issues such as the future of Türkiye's access to advanced U.S. military technology.

For Ankara, restoring participation in the F-35 program would mark the most consequential improvement in defense relations with Washington since Türkiye's removal seven years ago.

For NATO, any breakthrough would arrive as allies attempt to reinforce military cooperation while adapting to shifting U.S. expectations about alliance responsibilities.

Whether those objectives ultimately converge remains uncertain.

While the Trump administration appears to be exploring options to resolve one of the alliance's longest-running defense disputes, officials cited by The New York Times stressed that discussions remain ongoing, legal requirements have yet to be satisfied and congressional approval could still prove decisive before any policy change becomes reality.